When all your attempts and effort at patiently explaining the mystery of Yeshua (in light of the Oneness of HaShem) are met with the distractions of Christmas, Easter and other pagan/Christian silliness, it's easy to feel as though you're wasting your time. While I, of course, take tremendous issue with the vestigial, Roman distortions of G-d's plan of redemption - and, obviously, there are plenty of them alive and well in today's Christianity - it's really too bad that so many others are unable to look past all of that garbage to see the truth. Though, to be honest, the more falsehood I see myself, the more difficult it becomes to debate the detractors. I'm, honestly, not trying to "convert" anyone, though. That's the major misunderstanding. The last thing I'd ever want to do is "convert" anyone to anything, much less the many-headed "Jesus" monster running rampant today. My earnest desire is to direct others toward HaShem - to introduce them to His method for bringing us salvation and deliverance. It stands to reason that approaching a mysterious G-d requires pondering some mysterious things - Yeshua is one of those inescapable and mysterious issues.
Obviously, if we were to worship fire, it would be blasphemous - but that's how HaShem chose to appear. If we bowed down to a fiery bush, or a watery rock, it would be idolatry, but G-d works in mysterious ways, no? If we looked to a serpent on a pole for healing, we'd be labeled insane, charismatic - or both! But Israel trusted G-d, and all that looked upon it were healed. Not because of the serpent, itself, but because of their faith in G-d - directed toward something that certainly would have seemed pagan and absurd at the time. Should G-d do anything He like, who are we to question it? As we know, "It is the glory of G-d to conceal a matter, but the honor of kings to search out a truth" ~ Proverbs 25:2. It's enough for me to have humble faith in G-d. That wasn't the case immediately, though, and it took years for me to realize that my reasoning was nothing at all in the presence of His glory. I'm reminded of the quote by Ian Young that says, "The greatest obstacle to understanding the Bible is thinking that you already do."
They'll ask "How can you get around all the things Yeshua didn't accomplish without inventing a second coming?" I answer - we didn't "invent" anything.
"It will be with the last deliverer, (Messiah), as with the first (Moses); as the first deliverer revealed himself first to the Israelites and then withdrew, so also will the last deliverer reveal himself to the Israelites and then withdraw for a while." ~ Midrash Ruth Rabbath 5:6
Again, Should G-d do anything He like, who are we to question it?
"Can there be a greater stumbling block than Christianity? All the prophets spoke of Mashiach as the redeemer of Israel and their savior who would gather their dispersed and strengthen their observance of the mitzvot. In contrast, Christianity caused the Jews to be slain by the sword, their remnants to be scattered and humbled, the Torah to be altered, and the majority of the world to err and serve a god other than the L-rd...
ReplyDeleteThe entire world has already become filled with the mention of Mashiach, Torah, and mitzvot. These matters have been spread to the furthermost islands to many stubborn-hearted nations. They discuss these matters and the mitzvot of the Torah, saying: 'These mitzvot were true, but were already negated in the present age and are not applicable for all time.'
Others say: 'Implied in the mitzvot are hidden concepts that can not be understood simply. The Mashiach has already come and revealed those hidden truths.'
When the true Messianic king will arise and prove successful, his position becoming exalted and uplifted, they will all return and realize that their ancestors endowed them with a false heritage and their prophets and ancestors caused them to err." (Rambam - Mishneh Torah->Sefer Shoftim->Melachim uMilchamot->Ch. 11 Halacha 4)
Sometimes it feels like we have so much work ahead of us to fix the perception and misunderstandings of the past 1700 years.
All true, Swanny. But, as you well know, HaShem will fix perceptions and correct misunderstandings as He sees fit. It's difficult enough just getting people to admit that they might possibly hold an errant view. Pride is the king of all lawlessness. Clearly, while we can make ourselves available emissaries, this battle is not our own.
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